The Bozeman weekly chronicle., 1887-04-20
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During the period which our memory
covers there has not been a single season
in which we have not heard the cry of
hard times among our farmers. The sea-
son is "too dry" mo water" "ground-
squirrels" "hail," early FROST" or some
thing else. And yet season after season
has passed, and many of our farmers
haye grown rich. So bountiful have been
the haryests that the whole territory has
used our oats, our potatoes, our flour and
our hay. In short, our farmers, like all
all others find fault, and it is not safe to
rely entirely upon what you hear
them say. Times are hard for farmers
who have become hopelessly in debt for
improved labor-saving implements. They
are hard for those who are renting farms
and paying cash rent, but it is not hard
times for the farmer who is out of debt
and operating his own farm. Where
is there valley where lands are cheap
er, crops surer and higher prce obtain
able than the Gallatin2 The man who
pays from S. to $40 per acre, raises hay
that sells for SIS ton, oats that aver
age from forty to sixty bushels per acre,
and are worth from $l.25 to 81 60 per
hundred weight. Potatoes bring good
price; barley, owing to its quality, fan
cy figure, and all other products in pro-
portion. In short, the Gallatin county
farmer has no cause at all for complaint.
For the mere work of planting and irri-
eating his soil brings him rich returns
that should represent his profits, as he
can without expense raise chickens and
stock sufficient to pay the expenses of
his farm. Butter always brings good
price. eggs are always in demand, and at
the present writing draft horses command
large price. Ten years ago 1t took just
as much money to buy pound of butter,
dozen of eggs, ton of hay or hun
dred of oats as it does now; but it re-
quired considerable more to buy yard
of calico, pound of sugar or pound of
coffee.
At present the Gallatin farmer can be
Nabob in a few years. In other places
he pays at least 500 an acre for this land
sells his corn for thirty.six cents bush
el, his oats at twenty -eight cents and his
hay at $500 ton. 1t takes no skilled
mathematician to figure out the differ
ence in the two sections. No, the farm.
ers of this valley have no complaints to
utter. With moderate amount of ma.
chinery, properly cared for, living on
their own lands, breeding each year a
few head of heavy horses, good cattle
sheep and hogs, no business will bring
larger returns. There lis nothing in the
cry of drouth with labor that enhances
the value of very cheap lands, each farm
er can provide himself with an irrigat-
ing ditch and laugh at the summers sun
Ground squirrels he can kill with slight
exertion at four cents a squirrel, and in
nine cases out of ten damage by frost ii
due to the farmers inactivity.
We earnestly trust that the last has been
said in the way of complaint in this valley
as no better exists, and those who h ave
been 80 fortunate as to obtain land, viii
find that besides laboring to a good ad
vantage for several years they have in
the meanwhile secured properties thai
will be in demand by those who have la.
bored for many years upon barren soil
where prices have paid them but mod.
icum profit for their labors. They will
come here with their small savings, &C.
cumulated by years of hard work, and
with their experience, 80 beneficial, soon
have bank account.